In recent years, advances in technology, as well as ever-evolving tastes in style, have led to substantial changes in the design of automobiles. One of the changes involves the complexity of the electrical systems within automobiles. In addition to the conventional electrical system features such as headlamps, windows, and door-locks, automobiles are now often equipped with advanced computer systems that may include Global Positioning System (GPS) components, media file storage, and wireless communication systems.
The more advanced electrical system features may at times perform various operations when the vehicle (or an internal combustion engine within the vehicle) is not in use (i.e., “turned off”), such as software updates and media file transfers. Depending on the nature of the particular function, a considerable amount of battery power may be required to complete the operation. If the electrical system depletes the battery power beyond a certain threshold, there may be insufficient battery power to start the engine.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and system for managing the electrical systems of such automobiles in such a way to prevent excessive draining of the battery due to electrical system operations when the vehicle is off. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.